A study at the University of Winchester has found that stroke survivors who wore a compression suit as part of a home exercise regime had greater functional mobility compared to those who did not wear the device.

The study suggests that wearing a compression suit as part of an at-home rehabilitation programme is valuable and effective for people recovering from a stroke.

Conducted in association with Hobbs Rehabilitation, the research found that people recovering from a stroke who underwent home-based intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) therapy improved functional mobility, blood pressure, and physical activity levels compared to those who did not use the device.

Trial participants were given GMove suits, which apply pressure to the low limbs to stimulate blood circulation and muscle activation. Winback donated the GMove suits free of charge for the trial.

During the12-week trial, 15 of the 31 participants wore the suits while undertaking a series of set exercises for at least 30 minutes per day.

Their first IPC therapy session took place at Hobbs Rehabilitation with a physiotherapist to ensure participants were confident in wearing the IPC devices and in undertaking the prescribed activities. Thereafter, participants had regular face-to-face or phone discussions with a therapist to ensure they were using the IPC device properly and were experiencing no ill effects.

All participants who wore the suits demonstrated greater improvements in their mobility and blood pressure compared to the participants who performed their exercises unaided.

Co-Author of the report Dr Scott Hannah, a senior lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology at the University of Winchester, said: “This research shows promising results for the use of IPC therapy as a practical, home-based approach to stroke rehabilitation.

“The improvements in mobility and cardiovascular health suggest that integrating the GMove Suit into rehabilitation programmes could enhance recovery and promote independence for stroke survivors.

“Although this was a relatively small study, the findings indicate that IPC therapy could be a valuable addition to home exercise programmes.

“Future research should explore its effectiveness in a larger and more diverse group of stroke survivors, as well as investigate different durations and intensities of IPC therapy.”